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FROM PIRATE TO PRISONER: ANIMAL PLANET TO AIR "WHALE WARS" SPECIAL FEATURING ECO-MAVERICK PETER BETHUNE
-- Rogue Kiwi Captain Who Spent Three Months Behind Bars Subject of Special in September --
(Beverly Hill, Calif, August 5, 2010) - Animal Planet today announced it has given the
green light for a new WHALE WARS one-hour special series episode featuring Captain Pete
Bethune of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. During the two-hour season finale,
viewers last glimpse of eco-pirate and anti-whaling activist Bethune will be when he is taken
into custody by Japanese authorities and brought to Tokyo, where he had been held on
charges of trespassing, obstructing the passage of a vessel, carrying a knife and damaging
property. Bethune, whose story arc has captivated audiences this season as his beloved vessel
the Ady Gil collided with the Shonan Maru 2 and sank into the bottom of the Southern
Ocean, spent months in custody but was released on July 9, 2010 and returned home to New
Zealand. The special is slated to air following the season finale of BLOOD DOLPHINS on
Friday, September 17 at 10 PM (ET/PT).
The exclusive one-hour special episode of WHALE WARS features Bethune as he
shares with the Animal Planet audience his experiences where cameras could not follow - on
board the ship that held him for nearly a month and subsequently the three months he was
detained in Japan. How was he treated during his detention? What went through his mind
during that harrowing time? The outspoken whale warrior will share revelations, opinions
and thoughts on the experience after spending four months contemplating his decisions and
fate until finally being released. In addition to Bethune's interview, the special will reveal his
background, showcase the most exciting highlights from the season featuring Bethune,
Captain Paul Watson and other members of Sea Shepherd, and delve into what's next for this
environmental cowboy.
"WHALE WARS viewers really have connected with Pete's passion this season," says
Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager of Animal Planet. "His actions in this
campaign put him at the center of some very dramatic action. We're fortunate that he's
agreed to open up about his extraordinary experiences at sea and on land to save whales."
For the past several years, Captain Paul Watson and his Sea Shepherd Conservation
Society crew have taken to the high seas to attempt to stop Japanese ships from hunting
whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. WHALE WARS documents the ongoing
battles in the icy Antarctic waters in each adrenaline-fueled season as the conflict between Sea
Shepherd and the whalers grows more intense with each engagement - each pushing the other
to the limit to fight for what they believe. Watson and his eclectic group of international staff
and volunteers - labeled activists and heroes by some, eco-pirates by others - take a hard-line
approach to eradicate whaling and what they view as ocean-law violations. Highlighting the
controversial whaling trade and the tactics that the Sea Shepherds deploy to attempt to cripple
it, the series documents the group's three-month expedition across icy Antarctic waters.
WHALE WARS follows a masterful match at the far end of the globe as both Sea
Shepherd and the Japanese whalers engage in an environmental showdown with millions of
dollars at stake. The team of oceanic crusaders join forces and set out to risk it all to save the
whales, even if that might mean not all crew members make it back to port together. Season
three concludes with a two-hour special on Friday, August 27 at 9 PM (ET/PT).
The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences recognized WHALE WARS last spring
for exploring issues of concern to our society in a compelling, emotional and insightful way
by bestowing the series with a Television Academy Honor which identifies it as "television
with a conscience." The series has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy(R) for Outstanding
Cinematography in a Non-Fiction Series and Outstanding Picture Editing for a Non-Fiction
Series. Seasons one and two of the series are available on DVD at AnimalPlanetstore.com.
WHALE WARS is produced for Animal Planet by The Lizard Trading Company.
Liz Bronstein is the executive producer for The Lizard Trading Company, and Jason Carey is
the executive producer for Animal Planet. Charlie Foley is vice president of development for
Animal Planet.
Animal Planet Media (APM), a multi-media business unit of Discovery
Communications, is the world's only entertainment brand that immerses viewers in the full
range of life in the animal kingdom with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers
animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community
for immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment, information and enrichment. APM
consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 96 million homes in
the US; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things
animal; the 24/7 broadband channel, Animal Planet Beyond; Petfinder.com, the #1 pet-related
Web property globally that facilitates pet adoption; and other media platforms including a
robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service; mobile content; and merchandising extensions.
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